The Best Man
by the alpha phoenix
Summary: The loneliness of being single is finally getting to Tai and being at Matt and Sora's wedding is not helping. With the help of alcohol and some prompting from Matt, Tai finally decides to do something about it. Sorato with other minor pairings. One-shot


**The Best Man**

Heya everyone. This idea came to me while I was getting ready to go to a wedding a few weeks ago. I'm not quite sure how or why I thought of it but I did and I decided I'd write it as this one-shot. I'll say right now that there isn't much dialogue in this fic, it is more based around what Tai sees and is thinking.

Summary: The loneliness of being single is finally getting to Tai and being at Matt and Sora's wedding is not helping. With the help of alcohol and some prompting from Matt, Tai finally decides to do something about it.

Right, it is now time for the disclaimer. I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted stuff that I happen to mention in this story. Isn't it kind of obvious that I don't own Digimon?

The couples in this fic are Sorato with some Takari, Koumi and Kenyako. As for who Tai is with … well that's kind of complicated. You'll have to read to find out.

* * *

Taichi Kamiya lent up against the brushed stainless steel bar as he finished off the last of his beer in the brown bottle held by his right hand. He gulped down the final mouthful before setting the glass bottle down on the counter behind him. The twenty two year old man ran the fingers of his right hand through his wild bushy brown hair and sighed. He loosened his sky blue tie and undid the top two buttons of the white shirt that had recently been brought for him to wear with the suites Matt had picked out for the wedding. He was glad he had left his grey pinstriped black jacket, which matched his trousers, on the back of a chair on the other side of the dance floor, otherwise he'd be boiling.

Taichi, or Tai for short, scanned the room with his deep brown eyes, looking at all the people who had turned up to the reception party of his best friends' wedding. It was seconds before his gaze locked onto two of his best friends, the now married couple, out on the floor dancing away. Seeing the beaming smiles on Matt's and Sora's faces brought a smile to his own lips. He felt honoured and privileged to be Matt's best man. The young man was extremely happy for them both as he watched them dance away on the dark disco-light lit floor to the rock music coming from the speakers.

He thought Sora looked stunning in her elegant white kimono. Her auburn hair was pinned in her favourite style using a white gold pin that had five diamonds running down the centre. It was a gift that Matt's father had brought her as a twenty first birthday present. Tai's eyes moved down to the relatively tight fitting kimono that Sora was wearing. Despite it covering most of her body and legs, it still showed off the curves of her hips, long legs and large breasts. It wasn't a traditional kimono either, it was one Sora had designed and made herself as part of her new job in the fashion industry.

Tai's gaze moved on to Yamato or, as everyone called him, Matt. His best friend had decided not to wear the traditional Japanese wedding attire and had chosen to wear a suite, which was more in keeping with his Christian and French ancestry. In turn it allowed Matt to decide that Tai and Matt's younger brother, Takeru, had to have matching suites too. Between the three of them they finally decided on the grey pinstriped black suite, sky blue tie and white shirt. Matt's suite was perfectly tailored to his body in the same way Tai's was to his. Being a rock star had definitely had its perks for Matt since he had brought the three suites and they definitely were not cheap.

A prang of jealousy suddenly entered Tai's mind. He remembered the crush he had on Sora when they were younger. He had really liked her but in the end she had chosen Matt over him. The jealousy started to grow as he wondered what his life would have been like if Sora had chosen to date him. Tai found himself wishing he could have the happiness Matt felt with Sora.

The brunette man quickly reprimanded himself for thinking like that. He reminded himself that he was happy for his two best friends and he would never split them up. He was only thinking like that because he hadn't found the right woman yet. That was something that brought his thoughts to his previous relationships. Tai had been in a few serious relationships and more one night stands than he actually cared to remember, but he still hadn't found a partner who could put a smile on his face in the same way Sora put a smile on Matt's face. In the end he had just put it down to the fact that he just didn't fall in love with any of the girls he had been with.

Tai sighed and turned around to scan over the different drinks that were available behind the bar. It was an excuse to take his mind off how lonely and unloved he felt at that moment. He decided in the end to settle for another beer. One of the perks of this wedding was that Matt had decided to pay for a free bar and Tai intended to make the most of it. He caught one of the bar staff's attention and they made their way over to him.

"Please can I have another one of these," Tai politely asked as he pointed to his old empty bottle that was now sat on the bar. The barman nodded and Tai watched him make his way to one of the fridges. He pulled out the beer Tai wanted, opened it before handing it to the young man. "Thanks."

With a fresh bottle of beer in his hand, Tai turned back around to see what else was going on out there on the dance floor. His eyes surveyed the mass of people, some he knew and others he didn't, all dancing away to the music. His gaze finally settled on his younger sister, Hikari, and Takeru. Hikari, or Kari for short, and Takeru, or TK as he preferred to be called, were probably the worst two people for him to think about while he was attempting to remove the feeling of loneliness.

TK and Kari had been a couple since they started junior high school at the age of thirteen. They were best friends that had fallen in love, which meant they were extremely close and it gave them a nearly unbreakable bond. It also meant they were madly in love with each other to the extent that they did everything together. Tai was happy for his sister and TK but, in all honesty, he often found their relationship to be so clichéd that it was sickening. They were currently living together, attending the same university and were engaged. In fact they were the most clichéd couple Tai knew and he summed them up in one way. They were the only people he knew that had admitted to and said that they liked spooning.

Tai quickly placed his beer bottle to his mouth and took a mouthful. He gulped down a second mouthful straightaway. He couldn't decided if it was to remove the loneliness associated with currently being the only single guy out of the Digidestined or if it was to remove the need to vomit that was brought on by the thought of Kari and TK spooning. His eyes quickly moved on and found yet another happy couple.

Ken and Yolei were dancing away to the rock music blaring out of the speakers. Well, Tai thought it was more like Yolei forcing Ken to move how she wanted him to move to the music. It was obvious who wore the pants in that relationship. Tai laughed as he continued to watch a drunken Yolei essentially swing herself around, using Ken as an anchoring point to the ground. In fact Yolei was so drunk that she nearly wiped out Davis, Cody and their girlfriends, who were all dancing in too closer proximity to her.

Tai shook his head as his gaze left his younger friends and locked onto Izzy, Mimi, Joe and Joe's girlfriend. Again, his jealousy and longing to be with a girl he loved returned as he thought about Mimi. She had been somewhat promiscuous during her time in high school, using her large boobs and curvy ass to get anything she wanted from guys. Mimi struggled to keep in relationships and that included a few attempts with Tai. In total they had tried to date three times and the sex between them was great but every time they ended it, admitting they weren't right for each other.

Fortunately, Mimi had grown up a lot since she started attending collage and stopped sleeping around. She had also realised why she couldn't find what she really wanted from her previous relationships when she had start dating Izzy. She had usually dated the sporty type guys or the cool guys but they really didn't give her the attention and love she secretly craved and were usually too cocky. Izzy on the other hand was a computer genius and was an almost exact opposite to the guys Mimi normally dated. It was a shock to the Digidestined when the two started dating a year ago but they, including Tai, came to realise that it was a good thing for both Izzy and Mimi as they complemented one another perfectly.

And there it was again. The feeling of being lonely and like time was running out for him to find a woman to love. It kept running through Tai's mind as his eyes left Mimi and Izzy and refocused on the brown bottle in his right hand. He took another large swig of the alcoholic liquid and gulped it down. He knew it was a bad idea and that it would make him drunk a lot quicker but he didn't really care. Maybe it would make his forlorn feeling, which was now starting to really bug him, go away. Alcohol sometimes made it go but Tai had already noted that the best cure for this feeling in the past was to get with a girl, even if it was only for a one night stand.

He took another swig of beer before surveying the dance floor for any single women. He'd done this too many times to count and it cured the loneliness for one night at least. Sometimes he had been even luckier and the girl he had spent the night with actually decided to start dating him. However, those relationships usually ended before they could really start going. After all, having sex with someone on the first night you meet them isn't always the best place to start a relationship.

Tai's gaze found a familiar girl dancing away in the crowd. Why Matt had invited this particular young woman to the wedding was beyond him given that Matt didn't particularly like her for her crazy fan-girl attitude towards the blonde rock star. However, Tai wasn't complaining because, as strange as it sounded, he actually liked Jun. They had gotten to know each other over the years and at one point they had even been in a brief relationship. They had similar outgoing personalities that meant they often met and hooked up at parties. Tai even would dare go as far as admitting sex with Jun was fantastic. However, there had been problems that stopped them from being in the relationship Tai wanted, namely Davis.

Davis had not approved of Tai dating his older sister when the two first hooked up over five years ago. It was something that led to tensions forming between various Digidestined as well as between Jun and Davis. Tai and Jun ignored the tensions for as long as they could but in the end they decided to break up, thinking it was for the best. Although, Tai and Jun did secretly spend a lot of time together during Tai's first year at university, but that hadn't led to them reforming the relationship they once had.

Tai stood there leaning up against the bar, continuing to think about Jun. He remembered that Davis' reasons for not wanting him and Jun to be together were somewhat childish. That was the main reason Jun and Tai had ignored them to start off with until the tensions started to build. It was now something that had planted a seed in Tai's mind. Given that Davis had now grown up and matured a lot in the last five years, maybe Tai might be able to rekindle the old flame he once had with Jun.

He sighed and took another drink from his beer. The young man removed the bottle from his lips and returned his focus to the dance floor. That was when he noticed a familiar looking young blonde woman with cerulean blue eyes. She was in a tight red dress that Tai thought looked stunning on her. It showcased the curves of her hips and breast perfectly. The young woman's name was Catherine, a French Digidestined who also just happened to be a very smart, attractive and rich princess that Tai once had a crush on. He had also kissed her the first time they met, even though it was only a peck on the cheek.

The brunette man remembered that Catherine had become friends with Sora, Matt, Kari and TK because those said Japanese Digidestined would visit her when they went to visit Matt and TK's grandparents in France. The friendships Catherine had with Sora and Matt had obviously gotten her an invite and she had managed to get out of her royal schedule to attend the wedding. That thought made Tai chuckle to himself. A princess attending the wedding of a rock star, who was now training to be an astronaut, and an up and coming fashion designer. Tai guessed he was lucky that he knew some very influential and famous people.

Tai removed his gaze from Catherine before she could notice that he was staring. He placed the bottle of beer against his lips and finished the remaining liquid inside the brown glass. He turned around and made eye contact with the same barman that had served him before. Tai pointed to his bottle to infer that he wanted the same again. The barman nodded, opened another bottle and brought it over to Tai. The young man thanked the barman before turning back around to survey the dance floor once more.

A smile suddenly crept across his face as he saw the developing scene that greeted him. Kari, TK, Davis and Davis' girlfriend were all trying to rescue Ken from Yolei's insane drunken dancing. Davis was even holding his cheek, suggesting Yolei had either accidentally hit him while "dancing" or had deliberately hit him for saying something he probably shouldn't have said to her. Either was a real possibility. Tai couldn't help but laugh as he watched Yolei release Ken and start arguing with Kari about how she was not drunk and how she was definitely not out of control.

That was when a third single girl caught Tai's eye. It was Noriko, the black haired leader of the children who had dark spores implanted in them by Oikawa. Tai knew Noriko was a polite, kind and quite attractive girl because she and Kari had become friends since the end of the second digital adventure. Noriko and Kari had shared similar interests and ambitions, which had resulted in them both attending the same university course. Noriko and Tai had spoken on many occasions but they hadn't really had much of a chance to build a friendship. The main reason being that the older Digidestined didn't really get many opportunities to hang out with the dark spore children.

Tai continued to eye up Noriko. She was wearing a tight white strapless dress that hugged her petite figure. She didn't have the boobs or ass of Jun or Catherine but that didn't really bother Tai that much. After all, he wasn't shallow and looks weren't everything. There was something else that made him attract to her. Noriko was the leader of her group just like Tai was the leader of his group, which gave Tai hope that she could easily understand him and some of his actions whereas other girls, like Mimi for example, might not.

Tai sighed and took yet another drink from the beer bottle. As he removed the bottle from his lips, his eyes locked on to the Digimon. They were off in a corner by themselves and having a good time. It made Tai feel slightly left out, seeing as how he seemed to be the only person who apparently was somewhat depressed at the wedding.

"You look rather lonely standing here by yourself," a familiar masculine voice brought Tai out of his thoughts. He turned to his left to see Matt and Sora standing by his side. Tai wondered if he was really that transparent because his best friend's words had hit the bull's eye with only one shot.

"I'm just taking a quick break from all the partying," Tai lied to try keep his friends away from the truth. "I can't dance constantly. Besides, I needed another beer so it seemed like the perfect time to take a break."

Sora turned around and glanced out over the dance floor. Her choice of words suggested that she didn't believe what Tai had told her. "We need to find you a girlfriend."

"There are plenty of single ladies out there," Matt nodded in the direction of the mass of dancing people.

"I'm sure a few of them would jump at the chance to be your girlfriend, Tai," Sora finished for her husband as she glanced around. Tai really thought she was going to start picking out potential girls he could date.

"I'm fine," Tai replied as he glanced between Jun, Catherine and Noriko. "There's no rush. It's better that I take my time and find the right one."

Sora laughed at Tai's reply. "That sounds too mature to be coming from you, especially when you've had a lot to drink. You normally chase after every single girl that you can see."

Tai wasn't really sure how to reply to that. He was relieved when the barman interrupted them and asked Sora and Matt what they wanted to drink. It brought him a little more time to think. Was Sora having a jab at him for all the one night stands and his promiscuous ways? It certainly sounded like it.

He continued to glance between Jun, Catherine and Noriko, weighing up the positive and negative points of dating each girl. Tai was completely aware that Sora and Matt were probably going to persuade him to at least talk to one single girl tonight. He also got the feeling that they probably wanted to see him dance with them and keep his manhood in his pants so the relationship could get off on the right foot for once. That meant Tai would probably have to pick one now.

"I'm just going to go and talk to Mimi for a few minutes," Sora's voice brought Tai out of his thoughts again. It was an obvious attempt by her to ensure Matt could have a chat with Tai. It was obvious that she wanted him to do something other than standing at the bar and staring at woman. Tai thought he had been inconspicuous but clearly not.

Matt placed his hand on Tai's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Who have you got your eye on?"

Tai couldn't help but laugh at his friend's bluntness and his ability to read him like a book. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Only to those who know you well," Matt smirked as he replied. "You were quite clearly thinking about something. I could see those rusty cogs turning in your mind. Then all it took was for me to follow your gaze and I worked out that you were eyeing someone up in the crowd. You do that sort of thing at the bar in nightclubs all the time."

"Hey, these cogs in here are not rusty I'll have you know. I do use my brain a lot, my friend," Tai replied with mock offence lacing his tone. He tapped the right side of his forehead as he continued to speak. "This thing is needed for me to do a degree in politics, you know?"

Matt's smirk turned into a full on laugh at his friends reply. "You could have fooled me."

"It requires more brain power than it takes to push a few buttons in a spaceship or pluck a few strings on a guitar," Tai quipped back with a grin on his lips.

Both of the men laughed loudly and Matt slapped Tai on his back. They'd had this conversation a few times because neither of them could believe their choices in career, especially considering what they were like during high school. Nobody had expected Tai to want to be a politician or diplomat in the same way nobody had expected Matt to wanted to be an astronaut.

A comfortable silence fell over the two best friends as they gazed out over the dance floor. It was Matt who eventually broke it as he brought the subject back to where the conversation had started. "So who have you got your eye on?"

"That's none of your business, my friend," Tai replied in a mock serious tone before taking a drink from his bottle.

"I'm just curious," Matt defended himself before taking a sip of his own beer.

"I know what will happen," Tai chuckled. "I'll tell you, then you'll tell Sora and then Sora will go and tell the girl I'm interested in. She'll give them some sort of warning, telling them about my previous history with certain girls and then said girl I'm interested in won't want me."

"You know Sora wouldn't do that," Matt replied in a serious manner. "Even if she doesn't approve of you sleeping around."

"I know," Tai sighed and glanced over at his blonde friend. "I was just kidding."

"I know, Tai, but seriously, you should go and speak to the girl you're interested in or dance with her or something like that," Matt's tone lightened up and he took on that friendly advice voice he used when he was fulfilling his role as the Digidestined of Friendship. "What's the worst that could happen? You could have sex with her and then nothing will come of it in the morning. Sora might see that as a bad thing but at least you got laid."

"True," Tai replied before he drank another mouthful of beer. He wasn't really sure how to reply to his friend's advice.

"However, what happens if it turns out better and you actually get into a relationship with this girl?" Matt continued. "Who knows? We could be here again in a few years time for your wedding with the girl you're thinking of right now. So go and use that thick headed, act first, think later and stubborn nature of yours which gets you everywhere in life. You know, that trait you call courage."

Tai laughed and glanced down at the brown bottle in his hands once more. He carefully thought over Matt's words, trying to decide if he should take his friend's advice. Tai's gaze then moved up from the bottle to the three woman he had being thinking about for the past however many minutes. What had he got to loose by going and speaking to one of them?

"You're right, Matt. Thanks," Tai smiled his gratitude to his friend before returning his focus to the dance floor. He picked the girl he wanted to speak to and came up with a conversation to kick things off with. That was always a good way to get them to interact if they were interested in speaking to him and he knew he could get it to lead on from there.

"No problem," Matt replied as he placed his right hand on Tai's shoulder. He gave the bushy haired brunette an encouraging push in the direction of the dance floor. "Get out there and enjoy yourself."

Tai laughed as he strolled on to the dance floor. He gulped and took another swig of his drink to help him summon up the courage he was known for. He had decided that this girl, the one of the three he had chosen, was going to be the one. The one who was going to love him and give him that smile all his friends had on their faces when they gazed into the eyes of the ones they loved. Tai approached the girl with a smile on his face. He was going to do things properly and make sure this lasted more than one night. He was going to love her.

* * *

Well that's the end. I deliberately left it open ended like this for two reasons. The first is that I didn't really want to choose which of the girls Tai gets with and secondly I didn't want to upset anyone if I made the wrong choice.

Anyway, I'd love to know what you think about this one-shot, so please share your thoughts by leaving a review below =D


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